Former Fugitive of the Week Sentenced to State Prison for Scuffle with Sheriff Deputies

CLEARFIELD – A former Fugitive of the Week who scuffled with sheriff deputies will be spending time in state prison.

Christopher Norman Clark, 30, an inmate of the Clearfield County Jail, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, flight to avoid apprehension/trial/punishment, escape, two counts of assault and resisting arrest Monday in Clearfield County Court. He was sentenced to 27 months to five years in state prison. He was fined $4 plus costs.

In a second case, Clark pleaded guilty to criminal mischief, five counts of terroristic threats, simple assault and five counts of recklessly endangering another person. For this he was given a one to two years state prison sentence, which will run concurrent with his other sentence. He was fined $12 plus costs.

Clark was named “Fugitive of the Week” after he failed to appear for arraignment court in August for the criminal mischief case.

According to the affidavit in the assault case, on Aug. 28 several sheriff deputies arrived at a residence on Lincoln Avenue in Hyde, where they had heard Clark was staying. He was found on the second floor of the residence and advised that he was under arrest.

When they attempted to detain Clark, he leapt over a banister and dove down a staircase in an attempt to flee. One of the deputies tried to hold him in the stairway but was unable to do so because of Clark’s aggressive actions, which caused an injury to the deputy’s hand and fingers.

Another deputy at the top of the staircase was able to grab Clark by the waist, but was pulled down a flight of steps. Clark reached the bottom of the staircase and continued toward the kitchen while the deputy was still struggling with him. This deputy was struck in the face, knocking his glasses from his face. After the deputy was able to push Clark into an electric stove, Clark raised his arm in an attempt to strike him. Two other deputies entered the kitchen and assisted with trying to overcome Clark’s resistance.

Clark was given multiple commands, which were met with further resistance. Eventually the deputies were able to place Clark on the floor, but Clark’s resistance continued while they tried to handcuff him. One deputy sustained scrapes, scratches, bruising, swelling and pain due to an injury on his right leg, knee, left wrist and shoulder. Another deputy sustained scratches, bleeding and pain due to a right elbow injury.

The charges in the second and original case stem from an incident at 2 a.m. May 13 near a dirt road in Gulich Township south of Ramey Borough.

According to that affidavit, the victims were at a party when they began to feel unwanted. As they tried to leave, Clark struck the vehicle’s front end with a baseball. Next Clark opened the rear passenger door and punched one of the victim’s in the face. He then swung a baseball bat striking the victim in the arm. As the victim tried to drive away, the vehicle got stuck in the mud and stalled. The victims fled from the vehicle into the woods.